Biting Steel
by Mr. Monocle
Summary: The Dragon Born, Sabel NightShield reluctantly takes in the College of Winterhold's most recent outcast; Lillith, at the request of the Archmage. They couldn't be any more different, Sabel a cold and calculating warrior willing to kill to survive with a dangerous secret, and Lillith; a loud soft-hearted mage who wants to give everyone a second chance. Follows main plot.
1. Chapter 1

Lillith sat glumly with her arms crossed as the Archmage paced back and forth angrily. Savos Aren's Irate pacing increased and he wearily brought a calloused hand over his face.

"Lillith you are wearing my patience thin! What in Azura's name drove you to attack Nirya? Your fellow college member!" Savos' deep scratching voice was laced with anger. Lillith rolled her eyes. Typical Savos Aren, never seeing things from her side, just everyone else's.

She clenched her fists. "She was insulting me!" Oh how much pleasure she took in punching the short Altmer in her already crooked nose. Lillith hid a smirk behind her long brown hair. She felt no regret in her actions. Nirya had purposely sat near her in the arcaneum and proceeded to talk loudly to Arniel about her.

Her seething inner thoughts were cut short as the Archmage scoffed. "Do you honestly think that is any excuse for your behavior? You physically lashed out against a student of the college! The proper punishment for your actions is banishment." Savos raked a hand down his face. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he pointedly glared at her. "which may be for the best."

With a flourish of his robes, the Archmage turned his back on Lillith leaving her to glare in disbelief.

Hurt and rage gripped at her throat as she rushed after the dark elf, taking the steps two at a time. His swift movements were quick and tempered as he stepped out into the Hall of Elements. Lillith was close behind him with an angry retort at the tip of her tongue when a cold hard object bumped into her, causing her to lose balance and sprawl out on the stone floor.

Savos sighed at her sprawled form on the floor and addressed the stranger who was looking down at the girl, unimpressed. He pointedly cleared his throat to catch the strangers attention while Lillith gathered herself.

"Need something?" He asked. Savos didn't think the mysterious person belonged in a place such as the College of Winterhold, clad in the steel armor adventurers of higher ranks, usually thanes, wore and armed with many swords surely too many for one person to use. The face of said person was masked completely by a steel helmet, it's peerless gaze setting the dark elf on edge.

The peerless helmet nodded. "I need to visit your Arcaneum, if I may." The silvery toneless voice that came out of the warrior surprised Savos with its subtle femininity.

The Archmage nodded. "Ah yes of course. Lillith would be glad to escort you there." He gestured mundanely to the small Breton who was gaping dumbly at the stranger. "Though if your matters aren't too pressing might I ask for your assistance later on?" Savos asked pleasantly though there was an underlying tone of command in his voice.

The figure grunted and turned their attention to Lillith who ducked her head and lead the warrior up the stairs to the Arcaneum.


	2. Chapter 2

Lillith eyed the scary warrior as she intently leafed through the pages of her book. The intimidating warrior hadn't uttered a word to her, not that she was complaining. Lillith jumped as the stranger swiftly- and surprisingly silently- made their way over to Urag Gro-Shub and gingerly placed the book on the desk.

"Tell me about this one." Lillith had to strain to hear the muffled voice. The Orc shrugged.

"Ramblings of a mad man named Septimus Sigmus. Left this place years ago, some say north to the sea." The Orc carefully inspected the book for damage.

"Any idea if he's alive?" Shrugging carelessly the librarian placed the book back in its designated slot.

"Not a clue. Your best bet is to go north, good luck with whatever it is you're doing."

The warrior nodded their thanks and walked away. Lillith scrambled to catch up with 'him', huffing in annoyance. Savos and Tolfdir were standing in the Hall of Elements, heatedly discussing something under their breaths when Savos took notice of their approach and calmly nodded at them.

"I trust you found what you were looking for?" He asked. "I have heard that you are the..." He paused to look at Tolfdir uncertainly, "...Dragonborn."

The faceless silhouette stiffened. After a moment's hesitation the warrior nodded eliciting an awed gasp from Lillith. Tolfdir sent her a soft glare and she quieted down.

Savos smiled tightly. "Then please, take Lillith along with you on your journeys. She is in top of her peers with fire destruction, and has many other attributes that will most definitely come as a use to you in your travels."

Lillith cried out in outrage. "What?" She looked at Tolfdir pleadingly who looked away silently. "You can't be serious! Savos, Tolfdir!"

Savos glared at her silencing her then continued speaking to the Dragonborn pleasantly. "She is of great importance to us and we would be honored, though surely the great Dragonborn wouldn't insult the Archmage by refusing his gift?" He sneered silently with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Lillith looked at the Dragonborn who was impassively sizing her up while shifting side to side uncomfortably.

**Little side note. The warrior is a woman, she is just so heavily armored she appears male to someone oblivious, like Lillith. Chapters should get a little longer, they're already written out up to chapter 7.**


	3. Chapter 3

Sabel Night-Shield always got herself in strange predicaments. However, being pressured into taking a pet mage with her on her travels or risk insulting the archmage himself was an entirely new danger to her. She shifted side to side as she looked the girl up and down. If vulnerable was a person, this girl would be it. Her uniquely purple robes did the girls petite frame no justice, and her long brown hair was tangled around her fingers nervously.

Sabel sighed in defeat. As much as she hated to admit it, magic was her weakness, and she could do without a bunch of offended mages cursing her reputation.

Glaring at the Dunmer, then the girl, she grunted.

"You better not get it my way, girl." Sabel turned to leave, ignoring the Dunmer and the girls angry huff.

"I'll wait in the tavern for you to gather your things, but I won't wait forever."

She left them in the hall, the large wooden doors slamming behind her. She quickly made her way to the end of the stone structure that was the entrance to the college where she tugged her horse to follow behind her.

The tavern was warm and welcoming as the rush of warm air and the smells of food and mead greeted her. She sat at the bar and set her helmet down with a 'clunk' and shook her long silvery hair free. She slowly sipped on the warm milk the barmaid set before her and mulled over her unexpected decision to bring along a little mage girl on her dangerous journey.

Lillith stormed to her chamber, a small room carved into the stone of the college and threw her few belongings into a linen sac. Without saying goodbye to Tolfdir or her two best friends J'zargho and Onmond, she rushed over to the tavern with angry tears choking her voice.

Upon entering, she scanned the the spacious room for the warrior. Spotting a hunched figure clad in armor and swords she made her way over to the bar.

"Um, hey." She nervously greeted. The warrior lifted her -to Lillith's shock'- head. A thin ghostly pale face glacier blue eyes and long silvery hair looked up at Lillith.

"You're a woman?" She asked, flabbergasted. She had thought the woman clad in armor and armed to the teeth was a man!

The woman's pale pink lips thinned in annoyance.

"I hope that much would be obvious." The warriors cool voice was quiet and pleasant to Lillith's ears, despite the cold way she regarded Lillith.

Lillith frowned. "Yeah... I'm sorry. My name is Lillith. I guess I will be following you around for a while." She studied the woman's face as she sighed.

"So I see. I am known as Sabel Night-Shield." Sabel stood from her seat as she stood from the bar. Lillith thought the name suited the warrior.

"Do you need to rest, or to eat?" Sabel asked a distracted Lillith.

Lillith shook her head, she was to shook up from the earlier events to have an appetite nor get any sleep. Sabel nodded and donned her helmet before heading out of the tavern. Lillith followed closely behind, but paused when Sabel mounted a massive white horse. She huffed, did the warrior expect her to just follow on foot? A hand thrust in her face told her the opposite.

Sabel swung her onto the horse in the front of the saddle and kicked the horse to go.

"When we get to Windhelm I will buy you a horse." The pale warrior said while wrapping her arms around Lillith's waist to clutch at the reins. Lillith's face burned and she cleared her throat awkwardly.

"That is kind of you." When the woman behind her remained silent, she shifted uncomfortably.

"So Windhelm. What for?"

"We are looking for someone located on the outskirts. He has information I need. If he's still alive, that is."

Lillith's nose scrunched in distaste.

"Are you talking about Septimus?"

"You know him?"

Lillith nodded absently as she thought.

"He was still at the college when I was a little girl He slowly started going crazy and eventually he left. Savos says he was probably under the influence of a Deadra."

Sabel mulled over this new piece of information. She really wasn't looking forward to a confrontation with a crazy man. She sighed, her breath tickling the back of Lillith's neck who refrained from shivering.


	4. Chapter 4

The ride to Windhelm was mercifully short, only taking a few hours to arrive on horseback. Sabel awkwardly prodded Lillith awake, whose head was resting back on her chest. The mage jerked up, rubbing her eyes.

"We've arrived at Windhelm. We'll rent a room at the tavern so we can rest and continue our journey tomorrow when we wake." Sabel said as she helped the mage down before getting off herself. She paid the stable boy to care for her horse before heading into the city, with Lillith close behind her. It was still dark, the moons having only been in the sky for a few hours.

When they entered the rather large tavern named CandleHearth Hall, they were greeted with cautious stares, Nord men and women glaring at Lillith once they took notice of her mage attire and lack of any weapons. Sabel sighed and stood protectively in front of her, meeting the hostiles eyes with an ominous glare of her own as she rented a room from the inn-keeper.

Lillith kept her head down as she followed even closer behind Sabel to their room. The warrior shut the door behind them and locked it securely.

Lillith let herself relax and survey her surroundings. She frowned at the small room with the single expansive bed and two end tables and storage chest, turning to Sabel who was stuffing her bags in the chest.

"Only one bed...?"

Sabel paused to look at her with a slight annoyed frown.

"We're in a city of mage hating nords who would have you killed if they could. But, if it discomforts you, I will sleep on the floor."

Lillith's face flushed and shook her head. "No, this is fine, I didn't mean to sound ungrateful."

Sabel hummed and began stripping off her armor and weapons. Lillith adverted her eyes and crawled into the bed after kicking off her boots. Sabel followed suit, nestling into the other side of the bed. She extinguished the flame flickering in the lantern, encasing them in darkness.

XXXXXXX

Movement and a low guttural growl startled Lillith from her slumber. She laid there paralyzed in fear. Terrible images flashed through her mind, claws and teeth ripping through flesh was the main one. She swallowed, her mouth dry with terror.

"S-Sabel..?" She whispered hoarsely. Why wasn't the warrior defending them from the threat? Slowly shifting her body to face her companion, Lillith gasped at what she could see in the darkness.

The guttural growls and thrashing movement was coming from the pale warrior beside her. Lillith quickly fumbled out of bed and hesitantly made her way over to Sabel's side. Sabel's back was arched and her teeth snapped shut periodically, her lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing long sharp fangs that Lillith could see from the dim light pooling in from the hallway.

"Sabel, wake up!" The inhuman noises coming from the woman were starting to frighten her even more, so she shook Sabel's shoulder.

"Sabel!"

Sabel's eyes snapped open, glowing an eerie silver in dim room. Lillith froze. Sabel's glowing silver eyes were staring right at her. She blinked and in an instant the silver eyes were a glacier blue and no longer glowing. Lillith stumbled back as Sabel stood up.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She said calmly. Lillith frowned. Was she going crazy? She could have sworn Sabel had glowing eyes.

"Are you ready to head out now or do you need more sleep?"

Lillith stared, confused. Maybe she was tired and hallucinated it all.

"If you don't mind I'd like some more rest."

Sabel nodded and laid back down, Lillith following suit, reluctantly falling into a fitful sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

A few hours later Lillith and Sabel stood outside the stables, Sabel conversing with the stable-master.

"I need this horse when I get back. I can't take it with me as of now. " The warrior paid the elf the required gold and swung herself onto her white horses back, nestling behind Lillith and kicking the horse into a brisk walk. Lillith peered back at her.

"Wouldn't it have been easier to bring the other horse as well?" She inquired, which Sabel shook her head in reply.

"No I don't know how long we'll be here and I don't want to risk it freezing to death. "

Lillith frowned at Sabel. "So we're going to just sacrifice this horse?"

Sabel smirked faintly at the girl in front of her. "Frost is a... Unique horse. The cold has no effect on him." The white stallion beneath them snorted, bobbing his head. The rest of the ride was silent, Frost swiftly jumping from ice patch to ice patch until they came upon a small entrance carved into the side of a large glacier.

Upon entrance of the small cavern, they were greeted with soft blue walls of ice illuminated by small lanterns that lead lower into the ice, revealing an old man adorned in robes. Lillith and Sabel approached him cautiously as he muttered to himself under his breath. The man, Septimus, swung his head towards them wildly, his eyes glazed and unfocused.

"Who are? Why are you here?" His voice lilted in pitch and volume. The warrior stepped forward towards the senile man with one hand hovering over her sword sheathed at her left hip.

"We are in search of an Elder Scroll. We were told you might know-"

Septimus cut her off with a cackle. "Oh Septimus knows! They said Septimus was crazy, so Septimus left!" The crazed man stepped towards Lillith with his arms outstretched but was blocked by Sabel with her sword drawn.

"Don't make me hurt you. Just tell us where it is." The warrior ordered her voice cold and menacing. Septimus flinched back and scurried away to fumble with something on one of his many bookshelves. He returned with two objects clutched in his grasp.

He held them out to the couple, his head cocked to the side. "You need one that is round, and one that is square!" He told them. Sabel sighed, frustrated.

"Where, Septimus?" She asked. Septimus perked up.

"With the Dwemer, where they are no longer! Up in the mountains."

Sabel took the cube and the sphere from the madman and turned to Lillith.

"Know of any Dwarven ruins around here?"

Lillith frowned thoughtfully.

"Yes, to the east of here. But it'd be a days travel from here."

Sabel growled an inhuman growl.

"Damn," she sighed. "We'll go back to the city and rest. We'll head out for the ruins early in the morning." Lillith nodded in agreement and they left Septimus' cave for the city.


	6. Chapter 6

Lillith regarded the woman seated silently in front of her. She had never took the time to actually observe her, and she was glad she was now. The warrior was a subtle beauty from for away, but up close Lillith was taken away.

Lillith had always assumed her hair was just a very light blonde, but upon further inspection it was a shimmering silver, reflecting the soft hues of the flickering flames in the fire pit. Her skin was pale and smooth, the only imperfection was the gruesome large scar trailing from her right eyebrow over her nose, and stopping at her left cheekbone.

Lillith's fingers twitched with the sudden urge to caress the woman's scar. she blushed folding her hands in her lap and continuing her observation. Sable's thin lips where delicately pink which Lillith found ironic seeing as how one word from the warriors mouth could shout a man to pieces. Her gaze wandered to the warriors eyes. Looking closely she could see the glacier blue of her irises, rimmed with silver-

Silver.

She shivered recalling the events of the previous night. Her new companion had terrified her, with her vicious growling and gnashing teeth. Lillith's brow furrowed, she had forgotten how sharp and long Sabel's teeth were, so much so that she could picture Sabel easily ripping through flesh with those teeth.

Shifting nervously, Lillith cleared her throat catching the warriors attention.

"Sabel. About last night... What was that?"

Sabel raised her brow at the mages question. "What was what?"

"Last night when you were..." She struggled to find the right words. "Freaking out I guess. Your eyes were silver, and glowing! And you were growling like a dog!"

Sabel's glare cut her off, and she motioned for Lillith to follow her to their shared room. She locked the door behind her and sighed.

"You truly want to know?" She asked to which Lillith nodded enthusiastically. Sabel sat down at the small table shoved into the corner of the room and quietly told her her story.

"When I was eleven winters old my father sent me and my younger brother to fetch water from the stream a few miles away from our farm. It was dusk, not completely dark but dark enough that my brother had to guide us with a torch."

She paused collecting her thoughts before continuing.

"When we had filled the buckets and headed home it was completely dark, save for the moonlight and our torch. We were only a few yards from our farm when we were ambushed by a hulking furred beast of fangs and claws. My father heard our screams and ran outside with a bow. The beast ignored my brother and father and focused solely on me. It knocked me down and clawed my face," the warrior pointed at the scar marring her face. " I had managed to grab my hunting knife from my belt and hacked at it's neck as hard as I could while my father shot at it from afar. During my struggle blood from the beasts neck gushed into my mouth and into my wounds. When it was finally dead, my father inspected it."

Sable sighed deeply. "It was a werewolf." Lillith gasped, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. "After that night I came down with a horrible fever. I had nightmares and my mouth ached. When I awoke a week later, I had fangs and a strange longing to be outside with the moons. The blood from the werewolf had infected me, and we realized it too late to reverse it."

Sabel leaned back in her seat. Her gaze focused on Lillith, void of any emotions. "I understand after learning this if you no longer wish to accompany me. I will tell the College that I cannot have you accompany me."

She said it so matter-of-factly, as if she had experienced people leaving her before that Lillith's heart clenched. Without giving it a second thought Lillith pulled the Nord into an embrace shocking the warrior who waited stiffly until Lillith pulled back, her green eyes shining with tears.

"I'm not leaving you because of something you couldn't control." She bit her lip nervously. "unless of course, you want me to go. Though I don't know what I'd do, the college won't take me back." She said sadly.

Sabel shrugged, confused at why the college wouldn't take her back but said nothing, instead she rose from her seat and began removing her armor. Realizing that it was late in the evening, Lillith kicked off her boots and shook her hair out of it's bindings, sighing with relief at the loss of pressure on her scalp.

She frowned when she looked down at her robes. They were filthy and in her angry rush to leave the college she neglected to pack any extra clothes. She peeled off her robes and turned to see Sabel doing the same. As the warrior tugged her black tunic off, Lillith caught sight of the scars littering her whole torso.

Sabel noticed Lillith's stare and softly explained their origins. "The ones on my back were from my first dragon. He flew into the top of the watchtower I was defending and knocked me back with his claws. I fell over the edge and hung there for a while until I managed to climb back up." She twisted her body until the four jagged scars sweeping from shoulder to the opposite hip glittered in the firelight.

Lillith restrained the urge to touch the puckered skin. Sabel turned and pointed the long scar starting at the bottom of her ribs and stretching diagonally to her hip bone.

"This was from a Thalmor soldier when I infiltrated their facility. So is the one on my thigh." She shrugged lightly. "The rest are from my many encounters."

Lillith hummed staring intently at the scars. Normally she would think them unattractive and ghastly, but on the warrior they were hauntingly beautiful.

"I think they are beautiful." She blurted, then frantically covered her mouth. "I-I mean..."

Sabel hummed in response. "Thank you." Flustered, Lillith just nodded silently. "Before we head out tomorrow I will buy us new clothes."

Humbled at the offer, Lillith smiled sweetly at her. "That is kind of you, thank you."

Sabel nodded and settled into the bed, her back to Lillith who quickly followed suit.


	7. Chapter 7

Donned in a new blue woolen dress and heavy knee high boots, Lillith felt refreshed and ready for the day. Sabel had left early in the morning to buy them new clothes and supplies while Lillith slept. The mage was pleasantly surprised to find that the two new dresses fit perfectly, along with a long heavy winter cloak made of white saber fur.

Lillith was surprised that Sabel did not wear a cloak, or any kind of protection from the weather. Instead she simply wore her leather pants and a black long sleeved shirt with her steel boots and gloves.

The warrior had left her heavy armor in their room, opting to "lighten the load" so as not to strain her steed.

Said steed was dutifully carrying them to the dwarven ruins Septimus had directed them to, plodding through the snow with little difficulty. Lillith shivered and pulled her cloak around her tightly and leaned to the side to see over Sabel's shoulder.

Squinting Lillith could see hazy bronze colored structures in the distance. Tapping Sabel's shoulder she pointed to the structures.

"There's Alftand, the ruins Septimus told us about."

Sabel looked towards where Lillith was pointing. Submerged mostly in snow Alftand appeared to be nothing but a few bronze domes with rope bridges strewn throughout. She flicked the reins to make Frost go faster. They arrived at the top a half hour later and left Frost under a dilapidated shack.

"So, how do we get in?" Lillith asked, looking at all of the bridges.

"Well... Let's find a bridge and follow it. We'll find an entrance eventually." Sabel said and started making her way down the closest bridge. Luckily they chose the correct way and soon they emerged through the icy entrance of the ruins.

All around them glowed a light blue. The walls were covered in a thick layer of ice and the torches lit around the tunnels illuminated them. The ground was still free of the ice except in a few small sections where the walls were closer together.

Sabel grabbed one of the mysteriously lit torches from a sconce on the wall. She beckoned for Lillith to follow behind her and they slowly made their way through the ice tunnels. Occasionally a metal spider would jump out at them and Sabel would cut it down quickly with her sword. Lillith simply followed behind holding her own torch and excitedly looking for small treasures whenever they stopped. Lillith was fascinated with the Dwemer and happily explored some of the small rooms carved into the side walls.

They came to a halt when Sabel held her hand up in a warning to stop. Lillith held still, watching as Sabel slowly and quietly drew one of her swords from her hip's sheath and crouched low to the ground. She crept forward without making a sound and Lillith followed behind her. Lillith could see over Sabel a dark furred khajiit rummaging through junk slew across the floor.

"I know you were hiding something from me brother, you all were conspiring behind my back! " The khajiit withdrew a small hand ax from his belt and blindly swung at the women, then stumbling back at the force of Sabel's parry. The ice walls of the tunnel were low and constricting, forcing Sabel to use her short one handed sword. The khajiit roared in fury and retaliated in even more blind anger, bashing the ax against the side of Sabel's sword.

She twisted the blade, unhanding him and dashed forward, embedding the sword in his chest. The feline twitched and struggled for a short few breathes before he went limp.

Lillith gasped, muffling a sob behind her hands. She'd never seen violence, let alone someone being killed! Sabel looked back at the sound of Lillith's sob, wiping off her sword.

"What's wrong?" She asked, genuinely confused but seemingly not bothered.

"What's... You killed him!" Lillith whispered, too shocked to shout.

"Of course I did. He was obviously insane, and if I didn't kill him he would've killed us. Would you have preferred that?"

Lillith shook her head slowly. "No of course not, but you could've tried talking to him at least!"

Sabel walked over to the small campsite and kicked over a large knapsack. Tons of empty bottles clattered out, clinking loudly on the ice.

"His brain was fried on skooma. It was too late for him already."

Lillith nodded sadly and stood up from her crouched position. She was quiet the majority of the journey through the dwarven ruins, but still helped where she could, though fire spells aren't very effective on metal spiders. They got lost numerous times, and twice they circled back to the main entrance, and Sabel began to lose her patience.

They slowly progressed through a room with two levels, the one they were on filled with steam powered traps blocking their way. large bronze beams pushed in and out from the wall with mighty force. At the base of the beams however was a solid foundation that was safe from the hazardous push-trap (whatever it was supposed to be) and the duo climbed safely to the other side of the room with little trouble from a few metal spiders.

As they continued down what resembled a hallway, Lillith gazed thoughtfully at the large moving gears shoved into every nook and cranny the Dwemer could fit them into. "After all these years that the Dwemer have been gone, I wonder what magic keeps these moving parts alive?" she spoke her thoughts aloud.

Sabel, not educated or particularly interested in anything Dwemer related, grunted effortlessly. "Maybe we'll find out."

Lillith laughed quietly to avoid alerting enemies, not that she was certain the metal creatures could actually hear.

Without warning their surroundings gave way to a cave like atmosphere and they were standing precariously on a bridge that spiraled downward. They followed it until it ended and widened into a platform with a uselessly locked door behind them.

Sabel growled irritably and looked down over the edge of the platform they were standing on, then looked to Lillith who paled.

"Don't tell me we're jumping down there! It's too far! Plus, What if it's a dead end?" She said all in one breath clearly scared. Sabel rolled her eyes at the squeamish girl and sighed, thinking.

"I think I know what to do." Sabel faced away from the mage and took a deep breath.

"_FEIM ZIL GRON!" _a blue light encased Sabel's body and her form became ethereal, making Lillith gasp and step back in awe. The warrior turned around and motioned for her to come closer. Lillith slowly approached Sabel still in awe of the girls ethereal form when the warrior impatiently rolled her eyes and roughly grabbed the smaller girl, hoisted her onto her shoulder, turned around, and jumped.

Lillith screamed, certain she was going to die.


	8. Chapter 8

With a gentle _'tip tap'_ Sabel landed safely on the ground, Lillith's scream having done the most damage. She irritably set the mage down, glaring as if to say, '_Well?'_

Lillith gaped at her, still glowing an ethereal blue, and finally found her voice to speak.

"H-How..." She gestured up to the ledge they had just been standing on, then to Sabel who was impassively standing with her arms crossed.

"It's a shout, Ethereal Form. I can't harm, nor be harmed while in it." Sabel looked around, taking note of the corpse of a female orc lying prone a few feet away from where they landed. "That being said, we should wait here while it wears off. If we run in to enemies while it's still active, you would be on your own against them." At this Lillith hastily agreed, helping Sabel to clear a spot in the rubble away from the corpse to rest.

XXXXXXXXX

After an hours rest the shout wore off, the duo set off, Sabel taking the lead down a stone bridge slanted downwards. There was a strange sound like wheezing and scuffling footsteps a few feet away from Sabel's eyesight, so she drew her sword and motioned for Lillith to stay back. She creeped forward silently, the wheezing growing louder. As she went further forwards she could see a freakish, pale figure slouching facing away from her. It was armed with a shabby sword and shield, and thankfully had not noticed her yet. She closed the distance between them and clamped her hand over its mouth, and slit its throat with the other. She set its body down quietly, observing its hideous features.

"Wow, what is that thing?" Lillith asked from behind Sabel.

"I didn't say it was safe to come out." Sabel scowled, "I'm not sure, but I think it's a falmer. I heard they dwell in dwarven ruins, but i didn't think we'd run into them here." Lillith observed the corpse closer, grimacing at the blood.

"I'm not defenseless you know! Wow, it really is ugly. I've only seen falmer in books, and that certainly looks like one. Apparently they're really hostile, and live in packs so we should be extra careful." Lillith said, toeing at the falmer's prone body.

Sable hummed in acknowledgment. "Thank you for the warning. We should head on, stay alert."

Lillith dutifully followed behind Sabel, they quickly made their way down the ramp-like bridge, only to come face to face with a trio of falmer. The falmer fought with a viciousness Sabel wasn't expecting, it took everything for her to hold back the two melee fighters. Meanwhile Lillith held her own against the staff weilding mage, deflecting ice shards with a barrier and even stronger fireballs. Sabel soon decapitated one of the falmer and with one gone soon rid herself of the other.

Flicking blood off her sword Sabel observed the match between Lillith and the last remaining falmer. She felt no need to assist, as Lillith wielded her spells with grace and hard concentration. The falmer hissed when a fireball blasted in its face, crumpling to the ground as its body lit with flames. Lillith quietly stepped away from the burning corpse to stand by Sabel, a disturbed expression on her face.

"Is everything alright?" Sable asked. Lillith hugged her arms to her chest, her gaze stuck to the flames still encasing the falmer.

"I've never killed anything before. I know, I know, it was trying to kill us but..." She shrugged, flustered. "It just doesn't feel right."

"I understand." Sabel agreed, nodding her head as she began making her way past the dead falmers. "You never quite get past the feeling of killing something. You either enjoy it, or manage to ignore the feeling of unease it gives you." She said quietly, her face turned away from Lillith who looked up at her in surprise.

XXXXXXXXXX

Click. Click. Click. Frustrated growl.

Sabel irritably tapped at the glowing buttons controlling the Oculory. Every time she pushed one of the buttons, beams would shift above them with shining lights. Lillith was somewhere below, exploring the tower.

"Hey, I found something!" She shouted up to Sabel who was still messing unsuccessfully with the buttons. Lillith jogged up the ramp to where The warrior was standing, huffing and holding out a book to her. "This journal tells you how to... open the Oculory. Let me try, I think I can do it." She took Sabel's place at The Oculory and clicked at the buttons. With a whirring buzz the beams spun clockwise and expelled a crystal receptacle which cracked open to reveal a cream colored scroll. Lillith excitedly clapped her hands. "I did it!" Sabel gave a small smile and nodded.

"You did well. Grab the lexicon while I get the scroll and we can leave this place." Eager to leave they quickly gathered their respective items and left the tower.

**A bit rushed, but i figured nobody needed the useless details. Hopefully the easy flow will come back now that they're out of the ruins.**


End file.
